The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-05-25

|
"bloke" is common term originally
meaning party to be robbed, but now
used as kind of reproachful term sig.
nifying that party is mo good" The
confidence man is icon. man." L
he plays three-card monte he is 6
"monte spieler," and, as the game re.
quires more than one to make it work,
the crowd is termed s'monte mob. u
The victim of the confidence man is a
"mark" or guy" and if he be an
old man he is respectfully alluded tc
as "happy guy" If he falls into the
trap easily he is dead sure to lose his
stuff, stuff being the crooks term TO,
the root of all evil. Stolen prop
erty is "swag." When it is hid.
den it becomes "plant." When
taken from its hiding place the
act is called raising the plant. u
A smart person is "ny." If a thief is
! smart he receives credit therefor in be.
ing termed ga dead fly mug" The
detectives would say che is people, he
is" Or 'he's smooth people" When
crook is not doing much he is hav.
ing tough leather" or though
chewing" When he is busily engaged
he IS getting in his graft" or graft
ing"
The confidence man when at work is
'copping off stuff" If he has much
trouble in getting the money it is
''hard," if not, ''easy money" To a
burglar the operation of getting into a
safe is cracking the box To the
pickpocket a handkerchief is 'wipe, :"
watch super the chain a
slang" a gold chain ''red," silver
one "white." Gold is or used to be
ridge An unsophisticated man is
a gray" A person who knows
crooks and their ways is "dead on, :"
and his posting possible victims is
called knocking" When a thief is
captured he is ''pinched' or ..col-
Jared" if by detective, by fly;
If by common policeman, by "aat-
ty." If his victim Identifies the thief,
that worthy declares that the "bloke"
trapped" to him. When in Jail he's
in ''hock" or in the cooler and if
he needs a lawyer he employs a
"mouthpiece.' The Judge is the
"beak" and if the crook is con-
victed he is Settled" his
term designated as ''time," being
divided into stretches" instead Of
years and ''moons" instead of months.
Daylight" means liberty after impris-
onment, and when he speaks of his in
generation the crook alludes to having
dome his btu lover the road" Civ
ing stiff" means telling lie; putting
a bold face on matters is expressed by
making dead front" If the thief
is 'leary" then he is afraid. and. if he
objects and so declares himself, he
makes beef" Aplace where stolen
property is kept is a fence the pro-
prietor fencer. A Jew is a "sheeney,"
an lrishman q ''mick' or "chaw." A
place where a man stays or may be
found is his "hang-out. A man who
confesses "squeals' or peaches" on
his partners, who are his "pals. I"
When photographed, the thief is
If captured in some crook
ed operation he is mailed dead to
rights" and when there isn't chance
to ''screw his nut. slope OF .lam,"
all of which signify running away, he
"throws up his hands," for he don't
believe in taking any chances in
SCRAP" which means a fight, or
against "gun," or ''pop." which
means a pistol. A man clothes are his
''togs." shoes Skates" breaches,
kicks" if there be money in them he
has "sugar or stuff in his kicks"
Slippers are 'stamps," and the hat,
which used to be "cady," is now a
''sky-piece." His hands are dukes"
MS fingers forks" his elbows
crooks" A wagon is .dray,"
bank jug" A dollar is a "case," a
nickel is lease, mans last dollar
s his lease case" mans last shirt is
his cease shirt" A large
mount of money is doodle"
! bundle" "roll." This |
lie generally elbows i'm (spends) |
lgainst the cards, faro-bank, especially, |
n ''lush' or "booze," which is liquor.
When without money he's strapped"
r "broke," and maybe he can not buy
lis peck. "for bread is not the staff of
ife, it's "peck." V and x stands for
Is and $40, and century" means
100.
When the money is, gone a borrow
aust be made, but borrow is "hot
ouch" Money is most usually spent
n "sparks." diamonds being easily
awned, or "hocked," for something
Ike their real value. When the thief
cts his "bit," that is, his share of the
swag," stolen property, he generally
uts it in sparks" if he doesn't get
is "bit," he is '4done out of it," or
put in the hole.'' When he has his
Bit he is Flying high" but his soar
lg may put the detectives
on to him." and they
romptly snip" or "pinch'' him,
nd he then enjoys a fall" Then he
ondemns himself for sucker" or,
'orse still, "chump," and kicks
lmseH when he remembers the
rocks motto that "There's . sucker
orn every day in the year." and he's
ne OF them. Honest people are
straight, y but the thief believes that